


Cultural Misunderstanding

by samstoleaburger



Category: Pacific Rim (Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Werecreatures, Chuck Hansen is a Little Shit, Discussion of Mates, Established Relationship, I'm Bad At Titles, M/M, Oblivious Chuck, Scenting, Stereotypes, Werecreature Raleigh
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-28
Updated: 2018-01-28
Packaged: 2019-03-10 18:00:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,503
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13506849
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/samstoleaburger/pseuds/samstoleaburger
Summary: "I mean, unless you would rather I hit every roadblock while trying to makethiswork. I'm trying to avoid cultural misunderstandings here. You have no idea how awkward it was when I was with Mako this one time and -""I'm well aware of what happened."





	Cultural Misunderstanding

Every time Chuck started a conversation with, "Oi, Ray, got a question for you," was always the moment Raleigh knew he'd either end up annoyed and seriously tempted to punch Chuck or that it would actually be a legitimate question. About eight times out of ten, however, it mostly landed on 'I'm this close to sending you back to medical.' Granted that Raleigh couldn't blame Chuck for his curiosity. Given how scientists deemed it impossible for a werecreature and a human to Drift together and yet both he and Mako managed to blow that out of the water.  
  
Which was a topic of conversation after Raleigh finally scraped up the courage to see Chuck in the med bay. Though that was a month and a half ago and the serious questions on werecreatures seemed to fall on the wayside in favor of ridiculous claims. Like the one about frisbees or chasing after balls. Because, apparently, according to Chuck and any other human, having animal DNA in you meant that you'd adopt certain responses to particular stimuli.  
  
Suffice to say, Chuck never threw a ball with the intention of Raleigh fetching it ever again after the first attempt ended with Herc's coffee being knocked out of his hand and all hell breaking loose not too long after.  
  
Raleigh pinched the bridge of his nose when he heard Chuck say those seven little words as he moved to sit down across from him after setting his tray down. "Chuck, for the hundredth time, no. We don't play fetch and we don't sniff each other's asses."  
  
"That's not what I was going to ask and you bloody well know I was fucking with you about the ass sniffing thing." Chuck huffed, reaching for his fork and poking at his mashed potatoes. "Besides, you should've seen your face when I asked about that. I thought you were going to strangle someone."  
  
"I was and you were my first pick."  
  
"You wouldn't dare." Chuck scooped up some of his potatoes and shoveled them into his mouth. He twisted his wrist, pointing the prongs of his fork at Raleigh in a matter of fact manner. "Far as I recall, you love my ass too much to actually consider doing it. That and we both know you wouldn't make it out of here alive if you did."  
  
It was sound logic, all things considered. Herc would likely hunt him to the ends of the earth and Mako's disapproving glare would haunt him until the day he died. Still didn't mean that Raleigh had to admit it out loud.  
  
Heaving a sigh, Raleigh dropped his hand and leveled Chuck with a look. May as well get this over with. "What do you want?"  
  
Chuck lowered his utensil, a low hum accompanying the thoughtful look on his face. He looked down after a moment, moving to mix the corn with the mashed potatoes in an obvious stalling tactic. As if he wanted Raleigh to sweat a bit over what Chuck was going to ask. Even though, at this point, Raleigh saw no point in it since most, if not all, of Chuck's questions had been downright ridiculous since he was released from medical.  
  
"You guys have..." He propped his elbow on the table and waved his hand. "I don't know. I think Sasha compared them to 'soulmates' when she was explaining it to Newt once. But I think you just call them 'mates.'" Chuck lowered his hand and glanced up after an extended silence. Only to frown at the look Raleigh was sporting and furrowed his brow when Raleigh turned his focus to the tabletop. "This a sore topic for you or something?"  
  
"Hmm...?" Raleigh blinked and shook his head. "No. Just...surprised, I guess?" He tapped his finger for a few beats before he offered up a shrug. "Mates are kind of like soulmates, if that's what you're asking. Though it's more like being in a relationship and being technically 'married' by human standards."  
  
"Huh." There was a momentary pause as Chuck took a minute to shovel more food into his mouth. "So is it a thing from the get-go or is it after you do some kind of mating ritual?"  
  
Raleigh rubbed his temple as he closed his eyes. "Chuck, whatever you heard or read about us is pretty messed up because that's not even remotely close."  
  
"Watch it, _Rah_ leigh. You can't be getting all pissed off because I'm curious." He waved his fork around in some grand gesture as he went on. "I mean, unless you would rather I hit every roadblock while trying to make _this_ work. I'm trying to avoid cultural misunderstandings here. You have no idea how awkward it was when I was with Mako this one time and -"  
  
"I'm well aware of what happened." Raleigh held up his hand to cut off the rant before it picked up enough speed. "Just..." He dropped his hand and sighed. "It's a little hard to explain. Even my mom had trouble telling us about it. It's not from the get-go nor is it some kind of 'mating ritual' thing. It's just there."  
  
"That makes no sense whatsoever, mate. You lost me."  
  
"Think of it this way, it's like marriage. Expect it's more like binding two souls in eternal matrimony." He pursed his lips as he picked at a stray thread in his sleeve. "In a sense, it's 'forever until both of us die.' Humans can move on easily. Werecreatures, on the other hand, can't." Raleigh looked somewhere just beyond Chuck's shoulder. "Like lovebird syndrome. Though responses to the loss of a mate vary depending on the person."  
  
By the look he was sporting, Chuck could only guess that the person he was thinking of wasn't exactly on Raleigh's 'nice list' and Chuck set his fork down before he snapped his fingers in front of Raleigh's face.  
  
"Oi, Ray. Earth to Raleigh. Look at me." Chuck lowered his hand and frowned once Raleigh finally snapped out of his thoughts. He leaned back in his seat with a thoughtful look and flexed his jaw. "All right. So, marriage, huh?" Chuck hummed as he tipped his head back. "Sounds simple enough."  
  
The disbelieving snort he got in response nearly had Chuck fling a carrot at him but he managed to stop himself. If only barely.  
  
"Only you would think it's 'simple enough.'" Raleigh shot him a cheeky grin and nudged his foot under the table. "It's so much _more_ than that though."  
  
Chuck blinked and narrowed his eyes as he lowered his head. "What are you on about now?"  
  
"How should I put this...?" he trailed off, lifting a hand to rub at his mouth as he furrowed his brow. "It's like coming home after a long day. You just see their face and suddenly everything is all right with the world. Like the weight you hadn't known you'd been carrying your whole life is now gone. Just like that."  
  
"That's pretty sappy."  
  
"Call it what you will but it's a feeling like no other." Raleigh locked his sights on Chuck's face and shifted to rest his chin the palm of his hand. A lazy, pleased smile tugged at the corner of his lip. "Mom used to tell me that I'd only understand when I got older. I think I finally get what she was trying to tell us."  
  
Chuck kept eye contact for only a few more seconds before he averted his gaze and picked up his fork again. He poked at the drumstick half-heartedly and swallowed as his ears began to turn red the longer Raleigh didn't bother to elaborate. Chuck gave him a decisive jab to the ankle after another minute passed in silence.  
  
"Stop staring at me, you bloody stupid -"  
  
"You know, Chuck..." Raleigh placed one hand on the table as he pushed to stand up. His smile remained in place, even as Chuck looked up and his expression was a near replica of when they'd seen each other in the Jaeger bay when Raleigh just arrived. "They say that you'll know when you want someone to be your mate just because of how they smell."  
  
Chuck's face scrunched up, effectively erasing the scowl he'd been gracing Raleigh with. "What?"  
  
The smile on Raleigh's face turned into a full blown smirk as he leaned over the table, cocked his head just slightly and took in a deep breath through his nose. A low, rumbling growl sounded as Raleigh leaned back and Chuck felt his face warm from the look Raleigh was giving him. "You smell good."  
  
"...Raleigh?"  
  
"You smell like me."  
  
Raleigh's gaze flicked over Chuck's face and was pleased when the flush spread. He gave a smug smile before he turned and headed out of the cafeteria, leaving Chuck to stare at his retreating form until he disappeared into the crowd.  
  
"What..." Chuck choked out, eyes wide and shook his head as he tried to come to grips with what just happened. "What the fuck...?"

**Author's Note:**

> This is...kind of a thing I'm possibly going to do later. Maybe. At some point. The concept of Raleigh being a werecreature and both of them becoming a thing, I mean. *fiddles with sleeve*


End file.
